Geography

May 2013

Solid waste management systems in developed countries are undergoing a transformation to a resource recovery-based model. Conversely, in many developing countries waste management is still inadequate in terms of environmental and public health. The environmentally sound technology (EST) concept, which emerged from the United Nations in the 1990s, has been suggested as a useful means to identify sustainable solid waste management systems for developing countries. The international community has promoted ESTs in an attempt to clarify the concept and facilitate their selection and use. However, in developing countries, understanding of the EST concept and technology transfer mechanisms remains elusive.

The aim of this research is to investigate context-appropriate technologies for solid waste management in Libya. The research investigates the usefulness of the concept of Environmentally Sound Technologies in the Libyan context using the capital, Tripoli, as a case study. Institutional capacity theories and basic principles of ESTs transfer and adoption were employed to investigate the factors that hinder use of ESTs in the study area. A mixed methodology combining semi-structured interviews, a questionnaire survey, field observation and document analysis was used to analyse the current practices, the institutional framework, and interaction between the service users and providers.

The finding indicate that the national and local institutions in the city are failing to carry out sound practices. Deficiencies were recorded in the organisational and legal framework, as well as in the financial system. Moreover the assessment of city residents towards most of the current practices was negative, and their role and contribution towards current practices were very limited. The deficiencies identified that related how the MSWM institutions interact with each other and with the service users would require substantial review in order to carry out system reform. Certain of changes are identified to influence the institutions' capacity to accommodate ESTs at the municipality level.

Publisher

Department of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences, The University of Hull